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Kenya’s energy minister has denied any allegations of bribery or corruption in awarding a contract to a unit of India’s Adani Group for constructing power lines in the country, according to Reuters.
In October, Adani Energy Solutions signed a $736 million public-private partnership agreement with the Kenya Electrical Transmission Company for a 30-year period. However, the deal faced a legal hurdle when a court suspended the contract the same month.
Energy Minister Opiyo Wandayi emphasised the integrity of the agreement, stating, “There has been no case of corruption or bribery as far as PIP (Privately-initiated proposal) with Adani Energy Solutions is concerned,” during his appearance before Kenya’s Senate finance committee.
Earlier the same day, Adani Group CEO Gautam Adani was indicted by U.S. prosecutors in connection with an alleged $265 million bribery scheme involving Indian officials. The Adani Group has denied the accusations, pledging to pursue “all possible legal recourse” in response.
Wandayi explained that under Kenya’s Public-Private Partnership Act, Adani Energy Solutions provided documentation to demonstrate compliance with legal and tax requirements in its home country, India. He added, “We had no knowledge of any other adverse matters… and therefore we are proceeding on the basis of the outcome of the very rigorous due diligence exercise that was undertaken by the contracting authority in line with the law.”
He also defended the deal, highlighting its potential to enhance affordable electricity access, noting that Kenya lacked sufficient funds for new power transmission projects.
Later in the day, Kenyan President William Ruto ordered the cancellation of a separate project that would have granted the Adani Group control of Nairobi’s main airport. The decision followed the indictment of Adani’s founder in the U.S. The proposed project included plans to expand Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by adding a second runway and upgrading its passenger terminal. Details of this airport project were made public in July.